Automatic mine-gate.



T. J. OSBORNE.

AUTOMATIC MINE GATE. APPLICAITION FILED NOV. 10. 19l6- Patented Apr. 24 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET I.

T. J. OSBORNE.

AUTOMATIC MINE GATE.

APPLICATION FILED NOV. 10, I916. 1,224,01 0, Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

3 SHEETS-SHEET 2.

T. J. OSBORNE.

AUT

APPLICATION FILED NOV. I0, 1916.

OMATIC MINE GATE.

Patented Apr. 24,1917.

3 SHEETSSHEET 3.

UNTTED STA ATN @FFTQE.

THOMAS J. OSBORNE, OF PREMIER, WEST VIRGINIA, ASSIGNOR 0F ONE-HALF TO LEANDER I). BIFFE, O33 PREMIER, WEST VIRGINIA.

AUTOMATIC MINE-GATE.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented Apr. 24, 1917.

Application filed November 10, 1916. Serial No. 130,629.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that 1, THOMAS J. Osnonnn, a citizen of the United States, residing at Premier, in the county of McDowell and State of West Virginia, have invented new and useful Improvements in Automatic Mine- Gates, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to automatic gates which are adapted to be operated by means actuated by a vehicle approaching from either direction. The invention has particularreference to a gate arranged to obstruct a railroad track, and the invention specifically refers to a mine gate such as is used in the main entry of a mine between the side entry and an air course for the purpose of deflecting an air current through such side entry and air course.

The invention has for its object to produce a simple and effective gate and operat: ing mechanism therefor of improved construction, the same adapted to be actuated by a mine car approaching the gate from either side. I

A further object of the invention is to produce a simple and improved gate and operating mechanism therefor, said gate being composed of leaves adapted to swing away from the approaching car when the car approaches from either direction, thereby preventing such accidents as would be liable to occur if the leaves of the gate were ar ranged to swing in the direction of an approaching car.

A further object of the invention is to simplify and improve the detailed parts of the gate and the operating mechanism for the same and to make suitable provision for maintaining the gate in an open position until the car has passed beyond the limit of movement of the leaves of the gate.

With these and other ends in view which will readily appear as the nature of the invention is better understood, the same consists in the improved construction and-novel arrangement and combination of parts which will be particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the accompanying drawings has been illustrated a simple and preferred form of the invention, 1t being, however, understood that no limitation is necessarily made to the precise structural. d tails. th rein. exhibited,

but that changes, alterations and modifications within the scope of the claims may be resorted to when desired.

- In the drawings,

Figure 1 is a view in side elevation of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, the gate being shown closed and a portion of an approaching car being also seen.

Fig. 2 is a side elevation of the parts shown in Fig. 1, but showing the gate open and the car passing through the gateway.

Fig. 3 is a detail view in side elevation, showing a portion of the parts shown in Figs. 1 and 2, and showing the car in an in termediate position.

Fig. 4: is a top plan view with the cap of the gateway removed.

Fig. 5 is a transverse sectional view taken on the line 55 in Fig. 1.

Fig. 6 is a perspective detail view of a portion of the gate operating mechanism at one side of the track.

Fig. '1' is a perspective view of a portion of the gate operating mechanism at the other side of the track.

Corresponding parts in the several figures are denoted by like-characters of reference.

The gate shown in the drawings is adapted to obstruct the railroad track, the rails of which are. shown at 15, 16 being a guard rail adjacent to one of the track rails, the purpose of which is to prevent the wheels of a car from jumping the track when approaching the gate. The gateway has been shown comprising posts 17 and a cap piece 18, the posts being each provided with brackets 19 affording bearings for a hinge rod or shaft 20. The gate is composed of leaves 21 each having brackets 22 carrying one of the hinge rods 20, whereby the said leaves will be swingingly supported on the posts 17. Each of the hinge rods 20 carries at its lower end a hub 23' having divergent arms 24 that extend in the direction of the nearest track rail, said arms being, however, positioned below the level of the track, and each arm being provided near the end thereof with an upwardly extending tappet 25. Each hub 23 is also provided with an arm 26 located intermediate the divergent arms 2d and extending in the direction of the nearest track rail, said arms 2 bei g 011-:

' maintain the gate leaves carried by the hinge rods 20 normally in closed or obstructing position. Said leaves have in the drawings been shown as being slightly overlapped,-

but this is not necessary or essential. It may also be stated that the arms 24 and 26 may be integral with the hinge rods 20 or may be Connected therewith in any other manner than that shown in the drawings which has been merely selected as illustrating a single and convenient construction which will permit the parts to be readily assembled and disassembled.

Supported for rotation transversely beneath the railway track at either side of the gate are rock shafts, said rock shafts being suitably spaced apart, as will be clearly seen in Figs. 1, 2 and 4, it being, however, understood that the parts may be differently proportioned. The rock shafts distant from the gate at either side thereof are designated by 28, suitably spaced from which are the rock shafts 29, and the rock shafts 30 being located relatively near the gate at either side thereof. The construction and arrangement of parts at the two sides of the gate being practically identical, a description of the parts at one side will be found suflicient.

The rock shaft 28 is provided with an upwardly extending trip arm 31 which lies in the path of the buffer 32 of the mine car which is shown at C. The rock shaft 28 is also provided with a downwardly extending crank 33. which is connected by a link 34 with a similar crank 35 of the rock shaft 29. The rock shafts 29 and 30 are each provided with an upwardly extending crank 36, said cranks 36 carrying an angle bar L having a vertical flange 37 with which the cranks 36 are pivotally connected and a horizontal flange 38 overlying one of the track rails 15. The angle bar L will be. hereinafter referred to as the pedal bar. The rock shafts 29 and 30 are also each provided with a crank 39, said cranks carrying a push bar 40. The pedal bar and the push bar are each provided with an arm or bracket 41, said brackets being adapted to contact with and engage the tappet pins or members 25 for the purpose of rocking the hinge rods that carry the gate leaves. The engaging faces of the arms or brackets 41 are curved or beveled, as will be clearly seen in Figs. 4, 6 and 7, in order that the arms located at the side of the gate in the direction in which it opens will not obstruct the opening movement by obstructing the swinging movement of the arms carrying the tappets 25 at that side of the gate.

Pivotally connected with the pedal bar L is a rod 42 which is slidably guided through a bracket or brackets 43, said rod carrying F a coiled spring 44 which is interposed between the bracket 43 and a nut 45, which latter is preferably so adjusted as to permit a limited movement of the spring between itself and the bracket 43. The rock shafts 30 nearest the gate ateither side thereof are each provided with a downwardly extending arm or crank 46 having a Wrist pin 47. 48 is a link rod or bar having slots 49 near the ends thereof, said slots engaging the wrist pins 47, the parts being so proportioned that While motion may be transmitted between the cranks 46 by the rod 48, the slots 49 will provide sufficient lost motion to make the operation successful and effective.

It should be mentioned that the cranks or arms 36 and 39 on the rock shafts 29, which support the pedal bar L and the push bar 40 should initially lean away from the gate so that by the swinging movement of the rock shafts the pedal bar and the push a bar, which are normally or initially sup ported slightly above the level of the track rails, will be swung in an arc in the direction of the gate. The pedal bars and the push. bars at the two sides of the gate will be normally maintained in such slightly elevated position by engagement of the faces of the arms or operating brackets 41 with the tappet members 25, as best seen in Fig. 4 of the drawings, it being understood that said tapbar and the push bar will thus be moved in the arc of the movement of the cranks 36 in the direction of the gate, causing the arms 41 to engage the tappet members 25, thereby starting a swinging movement of the gate leaves in a direction away from the car. The wrist pin 47 of the crank 46 extending from the rock shaft 30 at the side of the gate from which the car approaches will also move from its initial position shown in Fig. 1 to the position shown in 3, that is to say, the length of the slot 39 indicated by said wrist pin. As the car advances, the front wheels thereof will engage the pedal bar and depress the latter toward the rail 15, tensioning the spring 44 and causing a further movement of the wrist pin 47 at that side of the gate, moving the link 48 in the direction of the arrow in Figs. 1 and 3, the slot 49 at the opposite end of the link )ermittin such movement to take )lace,

without affecting the condition or relative positions of the parts at that side of the gate through which the car will leave. As the car passes through the gate its front wheels will engage the pedal bar, as seen in Fig. 2, de-

pressing said bar and rocking the shafts whereby it is supported, causing the crank as to swing to the position seen in Fig. 2 with its wristpin 4C7 engaging the end wall of tie slot e9 in which it operates, thereby holding the link L8 against retrograde move ment, and causing the parts to cooperate in sustaining the gate in an open condition, this condition continuing until the car leaves the pedal bar on the departing side, after which the parts of the gate operating mecl'ianism will be restored to their initial position by the action of the spring ii which was tensioned by the action of the approaching car.

As will be seen from the foregoing description, taken in connection with the drawings hereto annexed, a gate has been provided with operating n'icelianism of simple and improved construction, whereby the gate will be effectively controlled by the action of an approaching vehicle, it being evident that by properly modifying the construction within the scope of the invention, the device may be adapted to be operated by vehicles other than mine cars, as herein shown and described.

Having thus described the invention, what is claimed as new, is

1. A swingingly supported gate having a hinge rod provided with an arm having a tappet member, a movably supported bar having an arm engaging the tappet member, rock shafts having cranks with which the bar is pivotally connected, an auxiliary rock shaft having a trip arm and a crank, a crank extending from one of the first mentioned rock shafts, a link connecting said crank with the crank of the auxiliary rock shaft, a rod pivotally connected with the movably supported bar, a bracket through which said rod is guided, and a retracting spring on said rod.

2. In a device of the class described, a gate comprising two leaves each having a hinge rod, said hinge rods being provided with divergent arms having tappet members, and said hinge rods being also provided each with a radial arm intermediate the divergent arms, a spring connecting the radial arms and operating to maintain the gate leaves in closed position, and means for engaging the tappet members to swing the gate leaves against the tension of the closing spring.

3. In a device of the class described, a gate comprising two leaves each having a hinge rod, said hinge rods being provided with divergent arms having tappet members, and

said hmge rods being also provided each with a radial arm intermediate the divergent arms, a spring connecting the radial arms and operating to maintain the gate leaves in closed position, and means for engaging the tappet members to swing the gate leaves against the tension of the closing spring,

said means including bars supported for longitudinal movement on each side of the gate,

4. In a device of the class described, a

gate COInPllSillg two leaves each having a hinge rod, said hinge rods being provided with divergent arms having tappet members, and said hinge rods being also provided each with a radial arm intermediate the divergent arms, a spring connecting the radial arms and operating to maintain the gate leaves in closed position, and means for engaging the tappet members to swing the gate leaves against the tension of the closing spring, said means including bars supported for longitudinal movement at each side of the gate, said bars having tappet engaging arms, rock shafts having arms with which the bars are pivotally connected, and means for actuating the rock shafts to start the bars in the direction of the gate from either side, said actuating means including a rock shaft having a trip arm lying in the path of an approaching vehicle, and said longitudinally movable bar being disposed in the path of a wheel of the approaching vehicle by the weight of which the movement of the bar in the direction of the gate will be completed,

5. A gate comprising swingingly sup ported leaves, each having a hinge rod provided with divergent tappet carrying arms, arms extending radially from the hinge rods intermediate the tappet carrying arms, a sprln g connecting the radial arms and operating to maintain the gate in a closed position, rock shafts extending across the two approaches to the gate, said rock shafts having arms, longitudinally movable bars pivotally connected with said arms, said bars having beveled tappet engaging arms and oneof said bars at each approach to the gate having a flange, and means for actuating the rock shafts at one side of the gate by the impact and weight of an approaching vehicle.

6. A gate comprising swingingly supported leaves, each having a hinge rod provided with divergent tappet carrying arms, arms extending radially from the hinge rods intermediate the tappet carrying arms, a spring connecting the radial arms and oper ating to maintain the gate in a closed position, rock shafts extending across the two approaches to the gate, said rock shafts hav ing arms, longitudinally movable bars pivotally connected with said arms, said bars having beveled tappet engaging arms and one of said bars at each approach to the gate having a flange, and means for actuating the rock shafts at one side of the gate by the impact and weight of an approaching vehicle, said means including an auxiliary rock shaft having a trip arm located in the path of the approaching vehicle, and a suitable connection between said auxiliary rock shaft and the first mentioned rock shafts.

7. A gate comprising swingingly supported leaves, each having a hinge rod provided With divergent tappet carrying arms, arms extending radially from the hinge rods intermediate the tappet carrying arms, a spring connecting the radial arms and operating to maintain the gate in a closed posi tion, rock shafts extending across the tWo approaches to the gate, said rock shafts hav ing arms, longitudinally movable bars pivotally connected with said arms, said bars having beveled tappet engaging arms and one of said bars at each approach to the gate hav- Copies of this patent may be obtained for five cents each,

ing a flange, and means for actuating the rock shafts at one side of the gate by the impact and Weight of an approaching vehicle, said means including an auxiliary rock shaft having a trip arm located in the path of the approaching vehicle, and a suitable connection between said auxiliary rock shaft and the first mentioned rock shafts, the rock shafts nearest the gate at each side thereof being provided with arms having Wrist pins; and a link having terminal slots engaged by said Wrist pins, said slots being of proper length to provide the necessary lost motion.

In testimony whereof I aflix my signature.

THOMAS J. OSBORNE.

by addressing the Commissioner of Patents Washington, I). C. 

